The Maharashtra government's Cyber Department has instructed tech companies Google and Apple to remove ride-hailing apps like Uber, Ola, and Rapido from their Play Store and App Store respectively, as per several media reports.
The Office of the Additional Director General of Police issued the notices on Friday, 15 May, under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000. Both Google and Apple have been instructed to "remove and disable access" to these applications from their digital marketplaces.
Uber, Ola, and Rapido have incurred the wrath of the authorities due to unauthorised bike taxis plying on the roads without required government approvals.
"It has been observed that certain app-based platforms are operating passenger transport services on a large scale through bike taxi operations without obtaining valid permissions, government approvals, or compliance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Transport Department and the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act," the notice read, as per a report by NDTV.
"It has been reported that driver verification mechanisms, insurance protections, women's safety measures, and emergency response systems are highly inadequate. Further, the rash and negligent driving commonly associated with such bike taxi operations creates a substantial risk to public safety. Recently, a serious incident came to light wherein a bike taxi service operated through one of these applications allegedly resulted in the tragic death of a woman. A criminal case has been registered in this regard, and several similar cases have reportedly been registered across various parts of Maharashtra," the notice also said.
"Since your organisation has a physical presence and conducts business in India, it is subject to the jurisdiction of Indian laws. Failure to comply with directives from Indian law enforcement agencies may result in serious legal action against you. You are hereby warned that if any unlawful or disruptive incident occurs due to your failure to take timely action, you will be held liable," the notice also told Apple and Google.
Pratap Sarnaik, the Maharashtra Transport Minister, has asked the cyber department to take legal action against these ride-hailing apps by lodging FIRs against them over the bike operations being carried out in the state.
Restrictions only for bike taxis: DGIPR
The cyber department says that these bike taxis are disregarding the state's legal framework. In a post on X, the state's Directorate General of Information and Public Relations (DGIPR) has dispelled rumours that these ride-hailing services are being banned completely in the state, and clarified that the action is limited to bike taxis alone.
“The claim circulating on social media that all services of Ola, Uber, and Rapido have been completely shut down in Maharashtra is misleading,” the X post read.
“The transport department has taken a strict stance against unauthorized bike taxi services operating illegally in the state. Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik has written to the #CyberCrime department demanding the immediate shutdown of unauthorized bike taxi app services like #Ola, #Uber, and #Rapido, and the filing of FIRs against the respective company owners. At the same time, the Transport Commissioner has also sent a letter to the Cyber Crime department in this regard,” it added.
